Improvement in printing-telegraphs



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C A RANDALL PRINTING-TELEGRAPH. No.177,661. Patented May 23,1876.

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C. A. RANDALL.

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PRINTING-TELEGRAPH, v

'Pa tented May 23,1876.

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ABC izsqii PATENT j CHARLES AJRANDALL, OF BROOKLYN, NElV YORK.

, IMPROVEMENT IN PRlNTlN G-TELE GRAPHS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 177,661, dated May 23, 1876 application filed I l November 3, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, CHARLES A. RANDALL,

to provide an instrument of such character that a greater number. of the .same may bev worked simultaneously in'the same electric circuit than with the instruments heretofore in use, and by which thecommunications may be recorded at one or more points/in printed characters, ina rapid and reliable manner by mechanical power, instead of being done directly by a printing-magnet, as heretofore.

The invention consists,-first, in the combination, with the printing-wheelof a telegraphinstrument and clock-gearing for rotating it, of amagnetic escapement operated by magnets in circuit with the transmitting-instrument, for controlling the movement of the printing-Wheel, as hereinafter more fully set f0rth;second, in the combination, with the printing-wheel and magnetic escapelnent, of certain devices operated by clock-gearin g, and controlled by the magnetic escapement, for the purpose of accomplishing the printing by mechanical power, and dispensing with the printing-magnet heretofore used for the purpose; third, in the combination, with the printingwheel and magnetic 'escapement, of a unison device controlled by the magnetic escapement, as more fully hereinafter described; fourth, in the combination of the printing-wheel and its gearing, the magnetic escapement, the printing devices and gearing for operating the same, and the unison device, as more fully hereinafterset forth; and, fifth, in certain improvements in the construction of the typewheel. I V

v The arrangement of the various parts of this invention will be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification, in whicho Figure 1 is aside elevation; Fig.2, detached views of the printing device; Fig. 3, longitudinal vertical sectional view; Fig. 4, a plan view. F1g. 5 shows printed paper slip; Fig.

w 6, modification of mechanism controlling the printing mechanism; Fig. 7, modification of type Wheel and shaft.

Like figures indicate like parts in all the figures. g

In the drawings, A represents the frames carrying the trains of wheels at a a and b b i 'b b. Attached to the frames are the electro magnets B B, having their armature 0 attached to the rockshaft d, which also carries the pallets a e, which work in the escape-wheel c on the shaft a. On the rock-shaft d is carried a fixed piece, f, having a V-shaped end. Play-v ing upon the piece f is the double lever D, hinged at E, upon the longer end of which is a right-angled projecting piece, which carries pin, 9, Fig. 4. This lever D extends across. the machine. to the shaft b, which carriesrigidly attached thereto a dog or arm, F, which carries a pin, h, Figs. 3 and 4, the said dog normally coming in contact with the right-.

angled end of the lever D, and playing thereon as the lever D is kept-in motion, and when released therefrom by the lever D ceasing to vibrate, said dog being revolved by means of the clock-work and its motor until the pin it comesin contact with the pin g. Upon the outer end of the shaft b is a disk, 6, carrying a pin,j, Fig. 1. Upon a. rock-shaft, 7c, is fixed the main printing-lever J, upon which is fixed the paper feeding rollers and an aux- ;iliary lever, H, which carries the printing-pad P, and which moves independently of the lever J, and which is thrown against the typewheel by momentum after the main lever.J is stopped by the adjusting-screw l, or its equivalent.

The main printing-lever. is provided with a shaped projection 3, and the lever J carried up to the adjusting-screw l. l g

The paper-feeding device consists of the Enron.

roller and its'ratchet-wheel, and the frictionroller *r. Motion is imparted to these rollers by a tooth on the pawl 10 engaging the ratchetwheel, and rotating the same until a finger, t,

on the pawl 12' arrests the same, and at the opposite end of the lever extending over the projecting arm g on the rock-shaft k.

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the apparatus and the circuit-connections, the current pass-- ing from battery, over wire w, to binding-post 1, through magnets B B to post 2 and wire to, back to battery or line.

The type-wheel M is provided with letters, figures, and fractions upon its periphery. In telegraph instruments of this class it is found desirable that the impressions from the letters, figures, and fractions shall be readily distinguished each from the other, and for that reason some instruments are provided with two type-wheels, so that the impressionsmay be made in different lines. There are various objections to the use of two wheels, and in this apparatus 1 have arranged the letters, figures, and fractions on one wheel, so that they may be printed in one line, and yet be readily distinguished each from the other by making the letters and fractions of the same length, and the figures about half as long, so that impressions taken therefrom will appear as shown in Fig. .5.

In Figs. 6 and 7 are shown modifications. The type-wheel M is fitted loosely on the shaft 0/, and carried by the friction-pads s s as the shaft a, is revolved. The type-wheel is unisoned, as before, except that the pin 4; is attached to the wheel M instead of the shaft a. The shaft a carries a wheel, f having V-shaped teeth, which, when rotating, vibrates the lever D, Fig. 6.

in practice, the electro-magnets B B are in one circuit, and, alternate negative and positive currents of electricity being passed over the same, the armature c is rapidly vibrated between the magnets, which actuates the escapement and allows the type-wheel to revolve by means of the train a a a and its motor. As the armature vibrates the fixed piece f is moved rapidly to and fro, which, acting upon the V-shaped end of the lever D, causes it to move upward. It is returned by its own weight, or a spring'may be used. The move ment, however, of the piece f is so rapid that,

practically, the lever D is kept in motion, and

not allowed to fall all the way down until the armature is at rest.

7 While the lever D is vibrating the dog or arm F, Fig. 1, upon the shaft 12', is in contact therewith, and, upon the lever being stopped, the dog is released therefrom and makesa part of a revolution,,when it is again" arrested by the pin it coming; in contact with the pin g, Fig. 3.

In this movement the main printing-lever has been actuated by the pin j in the disk '5, in itsrevolution passing over the V-shaped "projection 3 on the printing lever, the impression taken from the wheel, and the paper moved away from the same.

The pulsations can now be repeated to set the type-wheel forthe next letter, and upon the armature 6 moving, the lever D is vibrated and the dog F is released from the pin g, and returns to its normal position preparatory to printing another letter.

By this device, the printing being done mechanically, it is much more rapid and reliable than when an electro-magnet is used, whether for direct printing by an armature-lever or'for releasing the printing mechanism; also, by dispensing with the printing-magnet used in this class of apparatus, I diminish the resistance in each instrument, so that a greaternumber of instruments can be worked in the same electric circuit, and also simplify the connections and apparatus.

If desirable, one electro-magnet, with an ar-- mature and retractile spring, may be used with exactly the same results; but in that event the pulsations will not require to be of opposite polarity.

The unisoning is eflected as follows: As the wheel a is revolved, the lever n, swinging at m, and provided with a friction-pad, p, which bears on the surface of a, is carried upward until the pin 0 in the lever it comes in contact with the pin 12 in the shaft or, when the typestruments, to effect the printing, is not new,

and I make no claim to the same.

I am also well aware that printing by mo mentum is not new, as the same was accomplished by M. G. Farmer as early as 1856 or 1858, and I make no claim thereto.

I am also well aware that effecting an automatic unisoning is not new, the same being shown in English Patent No. 2,373, of 1858,-in which the type-wheel, after having been arrested by the movement of the same, is released by the action of the mechanically-printing mechanism. In this apparatus, however, there is no step-by-step movement of the type-wheel, and

the printing mechanism is controlled by an electro-magnet.

I am also well aware that a printing-telegraph instrument'has been constructed in which the type-wheel is rigidly secured to its shaft, and controlled by an escapement or step-by-step motion, in combination with a unison-stop that is disconnected by the printing mechanism, as shown in the Patent No. 105,060, July 5, 1870, reissued May 18, 1875, No. 6,434. In this invention the printing is effected by the direct action of an electromagnet actuating an armature-lever, to which I make no claim.

I am also aware that a type-wheel having letters, figures, and fractions upon its periphery is not new.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a printing-telegraph instrument, the combination of a type-wheel, an electro-magnetic escapement, a mechanical power to effect the printing, and a unison device, when the movement of the type-wheel, the unisoning of the same, and the printing mechanism are controlled by the electromagnetic escapement.

2. In a printing-telegraph instrument, the printing device J H k, cam or eccentric '5, dog F, and gearing for operating the same, in combination with the lever D, the vibrating arm f, or equivalent, a type-wheel, and its actuating-gearing, substantially as set forth.

3. In a printing-telegraph instrument, a typewhecl and its operating-gearing,'an electromagnetic escapement, and printing devices, controlled by the electro magnetic escapement, in combination with a unisoning mechanism.

4. The unison mechanism a 'n p 0 p q, substantially as shown.

5. The improved type wheel, constructed with letters and fractions of equal length upon the same, and figures of a different length than the letters 01' fractions, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the subscribing Witnesses. v

CHAS. A. RANDALL. Witnesses:

JAS. H. MATTHAEI, THOS. J. FARRELL. 

